Minimum number of participants for booking: why is it not possible?
Some service providers would like their activities to be bookable online only for a certain number of participants (for example, a minimum of 4 people). This request, while understandable from an operational perspective, is not compatible with best practices for online sales.
❌ An obstacle to booking
If you prevent bookings before a group of 4 people arrives, you risk blocking sales completely. This is because:
Individuals will never be able to book alone or in pairs,
They will not know if there are already any registered people,
And so they won’t dare to book… even if a session is almost full!
👉 Result: no session is triggered, and filling becomes much more difficult.
✅ It is better to capture the customer, even if it means rescheduling
In online sales, it's better to take a reservation, even a one-time one, than to lose it due to a minimum number of participants. A session can always be:
Confirmed if other customers are added,
Rescheduled or canceled with a clear and professional message.
This allows you to start group building, instead of waiting for an entire group to spontaneously show up.
🛠️ Tip: the "Minimum Capacity" order data
A good practice is to create a custom order data, for example titled "Minimum Capacity". This allows you to inform the customer at the time of booking:
This session requires a minimum of X participants. If this threshold is not reached, it may be rescheduled.
It’s a transparent way to secure the customer relationship without blocking the sale.
🚀 An effective alternative: potential planning
To go further and maximize your chances of filling your sessions without blocking sales, we recommend using potential planning (or "AI planning").
This system allows:
To automatically open a session upon first booking,
To favorite this session in online display,
And to block competing sales in this slot if you wish.
This greatly increases the chances of getting 3 or 4 participants together, without blocking the sale at the base.
📣 Need help setting up your schedule?
Our support team can guide you step by step. Contact us at support@yoplanning.com or via chat.
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